Russian Skeletons
by staceycity
Summary: EC. This multiple chapter story is going to hit off after Episode 10 in Season 7 where there was a hit on Eric and the audience finds out that he is searching into his past...the only difference is that Calleigh is going to be involved...up to where the shooting happens and after.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1:**

Calleigh, just like Horation, Wolfe and Frank, was racing down the roads of Miami on a fresh new sunny day after a call was received about shots being fired at The DeLuca Motel. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, not until she arrived there and finds out that Eric was already there and injured. A dead body was floating face down in the motel's pool while windows were broken, broken glass was near the pool area and everything seemed off about this motel altogether, and Calleigh couldn't understand why anyone would want to live in such an area.

As all of this was going through her head though, her eyes remained on her friend who was being treated at the moment. She had this weird feeling about this, this feeling that something was missing, that she didn't know a piece of an important puzzle.

'Hey...are you alright?' she asked Eric as she approached him.

'Yeah I'm fine. A bullet just grazed my skin' he replied.

Calleigh nodded but didn't say anything, in fact she turned around and walked away. Subject was nothing but closed but now was not the right time to ask those questions. Now, they needed to find out what happened and how that young man ended up in the pool and why there are two windows on two different areas of the motel broken. She needed to figure out how many shots were fired and from where.

Maybe Eric could help.

'Trying to figure out where the shots came from?' Eric asked Calleigh as he approached her, after the paramedics finished dressing his arm.

'Yeah' she replied 'There are two broken windows on two different areas of this motel' she told him.

'Three shots were fired. One of them grazed my arm. That window over there...is the window to my room' he told her before swallowing hard knowing that she was soon going to say something about this and start asking questions. She gave him a look that told him that she didn't like this and walked ahead.

'OK so you're saying that that is your room where you were shot, but the other room is on the other side, which means that there are probably two shooters who happened to be here at the same time as it couldn't have been the same shooter who shot both at you and the dead man in the pool at the same time' Calleigh started telling him as the rest of the team arrived.

'Exactly' Eric agreed 'And then there is that third shot that I heard' he told her.

'Calleigh, Eric' Horatio called out as he, Frank and Wolfe approached them.

'H' Eric acknowledged.

'What happened to you?' Horatio asked him.

Calleigh knew that was her queue to leave and start working on the dead guy's room. It is the primary crime scene after all and that is where a lot of questions get answered. She gave Eric one last look, letting him know that he was not off the hook and went on her way.

'Are you okay?' Horatio asked as soon as they were alone.

'Yeah...just got grazed.

'Yeah...can't say the same for the pool guy over there...single shot to the chest' Horatio said.

'Can't explain how he ended up blinded folded dead in the pool. There are no blood drops on the floor...I never saw him before...I have been here for a while' Eric confessed and Horatio gave him a look that told him that he didn't like this.

'Why are you here Eric?' Horatio asked as he removed his sunglasses.

'I thought I told you I'm doing a little re-modelling to the condo. I just needed a place to crash and I thought I'd go cheap' Eric lied but Horatio wasn't convinced 'I'm fine H. It's an excuse to get away for a little while' Eric went on.

'I guess that didn't last long huh?' Horatio replied as he put his sunglasses on, before walking away to start his search for evidence.

It was a couple of hours later, after some evidence was analysed and residing residents have been questioned, that Eric and Calleigh were back at the victim's room at The DeLuca Motel.

'Who would have thought that hazing would help us solve a crime?' Eric told her as Calleigh placed the dummy in the right placed with the laser ready to point the location of the shooter.

'Well my guess would be the same people who would think you were living here' she replied as she turned to look at him, and Eric lifted his gaze with a smile.

'I was wondering how long it was going to take before you ask' he admitted.

'Why didn't you tell anybody that you moved into a motel?' she asked him 'Does it have something to do with your family?' she asked him, knowing that he had been trying to seek out some unanswered questions...questions that kept bugging him lately, and she knew Eric enough to know that he was not going to drop it and move away from it before he gets the answers he wanted.

'I'm just trying to figure some things out' he admitted with concern in his eyes and his voice.

'I just don't want you to get hurt' she told him 'You could have moved into my place' she told him.

'Calleigh you just told me that you don't want me to get hurt...do you think I want to put you in a position where you could get hurt?' he asked her.

'I can take care of myself and besides you would have been there too' she told him 'We can protect each other' she told him.

'Calleigh...I know you are concerned and want to help me, but I am not going to do anything to put your life in danger...you can forget about it' he told her 'Now can we continue working the case please?' he asked her.

Calleigh frowned but turned on the laser just the same 'There it is' she said and Eric opened the door so they could walk out and see where the laser was pointing at. They analysed the restricted place where the shooter could have been along with the broken glass found by the pool which lead to two residents being questioned.

oooOOOooo

Horatio was in his office for a change, literally for a change as that is probably the last place anyone would find him in, but there he was...alone, and Calleigh knocked on his door.

'Can I disturb?' she asked him.

'Calleigh' he said as he lifted his gaze from the paper he had in his hand 'Of course, come on in. Can I help you with something ma'am?' he asked her.

She sat down on the chair in front of his desk and exhaled heavily 'Is Eric in any danger?' she asked him straight to the point and Horatio smiled.

'Why do you ask me that?' he asked her. He wasn't sure how much she knew, and Horatio didn't want to expose Eric too much. If he didn't fill her in on what was going on with him, then that would be for a good reason. He knows how much Eric cares about her, he would never want to put her in any kind of danger, and if the danger meant what Horatio was thinking, then danger was big and Eric was in huge trouble.

'Look I know about his family and that Eric was trying to figure out his roots and all that, so I know roughly what he has been up to' Calleigh told him 'But after he got shot today, I'm scared this is more than he can handle on his own...I mean...he could have gotten himself killed today' she told him.

'I know and I'm working on it Calleigh. Let me handle this okay?' Horatio told her.

She frowned not really liking the idea of staying on the bench and just watch while Eric could be in grave danger, but from the looks of it...she really didn't have much of a choice.

'Okay' she said and with that she got up and walked out of Horatio's office.

oooOOOooo

Horatio was on the next crime scene where Enrico Moldano was found dead by Eric at the back of the restaurant he owned. He was supposed to meet with him when he found him dead, buried under a pile of garbage bags.

'We keep meeting at crime scenes Eric' Horatio told him while checking his phone.

'I was supposed to meet Enrico here to pick something up' Eric told him.

'You had no back up so you were out of protocol' Horatio told him.

'Yeah' Eric agreed 'Yeah that's true'.

'What did Enrico have for you?' Horatio asked him. He realized that Enrico's death probably had something to do with Eric's investigation.

Eric looked to the side knowing he had no choice now, so he took out a folded envelope from his back pocket and handed it over to Horatio just as he took off his sunglasses. He watched him open the envelope and then his eyebrows went up 'He has your birth certificate. Why does he have that Eric?' Horatio asked him.

'Look ever since I started looking into my family, I've had someone go through my trash, my car broken into...I constantly feel eyes on me...did I wake up a beast?' Eric asked him.

'You have Eric...people are dying, you're coming off the case' Horatio told him.

oooOOOooo

Eric was pacing in one of the private rooms at the Miami Dade Police Department, waiting for his mother to show up. He needed to talk to her face to face, so he called her and asked her to come and meet him as quickly as possible at the station, as that was the safest place they could be in right now.

'Eric' he heard her voice say from behind him.

'Mum' Eric said as he turned to greet his mother with a kiss and a hug 'Come on, sit down' he told her.

'You have never asked me to come and meet you here before...what couldn't have wait until dinner?' she asked him, getting the feeling that something was wrong.

'I need you to tell me something' he told her.

'Okay...anything' his mother replied.

'It's about my birth...' he started telling her.

'Huh...' his mother whispered as she shook her head in disbelief 'You have...heard...a hundred times...okay...' she said 'I was pregnant back in Cuba but your father and I wanted a better life for you...we waited for the full moon to come and emm...we got in a boat, the trip was rough but as you know...we made it to Kilargo...I went into labour and there you were...three hours later' she told him convincingly. She watched him nod but didn't say anything 'What's wrong Eric?' she asked him.

'You...you said I've heard this story a hundred times...except sometimes...we landed in Key West, other times in Coconut Grove...other times you were in labour for eighteen hours...sometimes you say you went into labour the second we left Cuba...' he told her.

'I don't understand...' his mother replied, scared where this was going.

'The truth isn't supposed to change mum' Eric whispered 'So I looked into it...and my birth certificate is a fake' he told her.

'We had connections when we got here...' she started telling him. She watched him take out this brown envelope and then open it, as she realized he was taking out his birth certificate.

'This is my original birth certificate' he told her as he handed it to her. She took the certificate in her hand, her eyes staring at the old paper.

'I was born in Cuba. My biological father's name is Alexander Sharova' he told her 'Who is he?' he asked her.

'He was...a poster to my factory...it...' but she stopped as her hand reached out to touch his cheek but Eric turned his head 'It was a mistake Eric...' she told him as he turned to look at her 'He was a bad man...please Eric please...let it go...please' she told him as her hand settled onto his, her eyes pleading him to listen to her.

'Does he know that I exist?' Eric asked her.

'No no...' she told him shocked, shaking her head 'Why are you asking about this now?' she asked him trying to understand 'Are you in danger?' she asked 'Eric?' she asked more urgently when he didn't answer.

'No' he whispered not wanting to worry her before he pulled her into a hug.

'I'm sorry...I'm so sorry' she told him rubbing the back of his back.

'It's okay mama...it's okay' he whispered...but it was definitely not okay...not okay at all.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2:**

Calleigh was staring at the woman in the interrogating room while Tripp and Horatio talked to her. All she could think about was that that woman almost managed to kill Eric. At the thought, Calleigh tightened her arms around herself, just when Natalia showed up.

'Hey are you okay?' she asked her before checking out what she was looking at.

Calleigh glanced at Natalia and then back at the woman in the interrogation room 'Yeah...I just can't believe that that woman almost killed Eric' Calleigh replied.

'Yeah...why would anyone want to kill Eric?' Natalia asked.

'I don't know' she whispered. She wasn't completely lying because the truth is that she really doesn't know the whole story, and truth be told she is almost afraid to know. The last thing she wants to find out is that someone in his own family is trying to kill him. It is just too disturbing.

'Well I hope Horatio finds out soon' Natalia told her and with that she walked away leaving Calleigh alone again for a couple of seconds just before she decided to go and look for Eric. She needed to see him.

She found him coming out from one of the rarely used rooms with an older woman, who she knows is his mother.

'Hey' she said with a smile.

'Hey Cal' Eric greeted her 'Mother, this is Calleigh. Calleigh my mum' he introduced them.

'Oh we're no strangers Eric' his mother told him 'I met her in hospital when you were shot' his mother told him.

'Oh you have? I didn't know that' Eric said glancing from one side to the other.

'Yeah we have. It's been a long time. How have you been Mrs Delko?' Calleigh asked her.

'Oh please, call me Carmen dear' she told her and Eric couldn't help but smile. His two favorite women already acquainted...what more could he ask for?!

'Hey why don't you join us for dinner?' Carmen asked her.

Calleigh was stunned. She was not expecting this. Her mouth almost dropped and Eric could see that she was as surprised as much as he was. She looked at him speechless and then back at his mother.

'Oh I...I don't know' she said.

'Come on Cal, it would be fun' Eric told her. Anything to spend some time with her. His mother was a total genius. Looking into his past might have distracted him from focusing on Calleigh a bit, but it didn't mean that he wasn't interested anymore. Total opposite. He was still very interested.

'Are you sure?' she asked.

'Of course' Eric replied.

'We would love to have you for dinner deary' his mother replied.

'Well okay' she said with a smile...a smile that Eric hadn't seen in a while.

'Great...so I better get going and I will see you two later' she said and with that she hugged the two of them and made her way out of the station, leaving Calleigh speechless but with a smile on her face.

'You never told me you met my mum in hospital' Eric told her.

'Subject was never brought up' she replied 'Why you don't like that?' she asked.

'Why would that bother me? My two favourite women know each other...that's great news for any man' he replied and Calleigh rolled her eyes at him before punching him playfully in his arm.

'So emm...where are you staying tonight?' she asked him.

'At the motel' he replied.

'Eric you can't stay there. Whoever is trying to kill you, knows you live there now' she told him.

'Well I haven't had the time to look for anything today' he told her 'And I am definitely not staying with my parents after what happened' he told her.

'Then come and stay with me' she replied immediately.

Eric stared at her and then smiled that silly smile of his 'What? Do you really think I am going to put you in the middle of this?' he asked her.

'Oh come on, don't be over dramatic' she told him.

'Calleigh I am not being over dramatic. We don't know who is after me just yet, I can't put your life in danger too' he tried to explain. That was the last thing he would want to do. If anything happens to her because of him, he would go insane.

'I can help protect you from whoever is doing this. You need someone to look over your shoulder as well, and who better than me?' she asked him.

'Calleigh forget it' he told her.

'Eric you know that my house is safe...they can't get you there' she told him.

Eric sighed heavily as he ran a hand through his shaved head 'You're not going to back down are you?' he asked her.

'No' she replied with a smile, knowing she won this battle.

'This is just temporary' he told her.

'Sure it is' she replied 'Now let's go and get your stuff at the motel or we are going to be later for your mum's dinner invitation' she told him.

oooOOOooo

Calleigh and Eric were back at the motel as Calleigh helped him pack everything up, guns on them just in case they needed them, while she helped fold his shirts.

'I still can't believe you were staying here and didn't say anything' she told him.

'Look Calleigh...after what happened with that psychiatrist's lab being bugged, I am very careful what I say' he told her.

'You could have told me anywhere Eric. It's not like we never went out for walks or it's not like you never came over to my place for a pizza night? We hang out a lot, you had plenty of chances to tell me what was going on' she told him.

'I just didn't want to get you involved. I don't know what I am dealing with here' he told her.

'But don't you know by now, that it scares the shit out of me if something happens to you?' she asked him.

'I know and I am sorry...' he replied.

'So emm...you wanna tell me what's going on exactly? Why people are trying to kill you?' she asked him.

Eric sighed. He really didn't want to get her involved but he could tell that she was not going to stop until he tells her what is really going on here and why there is a hit out on him.

'My mum talked many times about when I was born...but sometimes she says she got into labour just after they arrived here from Cuba, sometimes she says I was already born, sometimes she says they landed in Coconut Grove and other times at Key West...the truth is not supposed to change Calleigh...and that made me suspicious to why she was lying' he started telling her.

'And you started looking into it' she continued for him.

'Yeah...' he said in a whisper.

'And what did you find out?' she asked him.

'My birth certificate is fake' he confessed and Calleigh gasped.

'Eric...oh my God' she whispered 'What are you going to do about that? You can get transported if the authorities find out' she told him.

'Don't you think I know that Calleigh?' he asked her frustrated and then he realized that he was being harsh and that she was only worried about him 'I'm sorry' he apologized.

'It's fine' she told him with a nod.

'I'm just...frustrated and worried at the same time. I don't know what to do' he confessed.

'Does anyone else know about this?' she asked him. By anyone else, both of them knew to whom she was referring to.

'Yes he knows. I had to tell him. He realized that I was in danger and that Enrico died collateral damage' he told her.

'Well if anyone can help you, it's him' she told him 'Come on, let's finish up and get out of here' she told him.

oooOOOooo

Calleigh and Eric were at his mother's house, sitting round the table, next to each other of course. They were just the two of them and his parents, so not many people around but his mother went all out in the food preparation. Toasted bread, salad with chopped tomatoes, onions and garlic to go with it, rice, olives and so much more. There were so many bowls and plates on the table, Calleigh almost couldn't decide from where to start.

'Do you like it Calleigh?' his mother asked.

'Oh I love it. Everything is so good here' she replied as she took another bite into her toasted bread topped with olive oil and chopped tomatoes and onions on top of it. Eric smiled as she watched her eat, not being shy from his parents, it almost startled him how comfortable she looked. Not even his father was intimidating enough to make her hold back. She isn't one to be intimidated that easily, but with family members she really doesn't know, Eric would have thought she would feel a little bit shy to be just her. She wasn't though and Eric loved that.

'This is so good and easy to make. You know with the amount of hours we work, sometimes the last thing you want to do is cook' she said 'You just go home, open the refrigerator and grab the first thing you see in the fridge' she said.

'Oh I would love to do that for you any time' Carmen told them and then she had this idea 'You know what Eric, you and Calleigh should come here a couple of nights and we can all enjoy a nice dinner together' his mother said.

Eric looked at Calleigh at that not really sure what to say 'Oh I don't know mum' he replied. He didn't want to make Calleigh feel uncomfortable now. His mother is acting like the two of them are an item, which unfortunately they are not.

'Well you know what...maybe we can actually do this over at my place some time when we have a day off. I'm sure Eric would love to help me out' she told them, surprising Eric at that. That was definitely the last thing he was expecting her to say.

'That is so sweet of you' his mother said and Calleigh smiled.

'Oh it's nothing' she replied.

Things moved on from there, as they all ate and talked...well maybe not completely all. His father wasn't very talkative Calleigh noticed but didn't say anything. She wasn't sure if he was quiet because of her or because that is his character or maybe because he knows something is going on with Eric.

Eric on the other hand could see that Calleigh was studying his parents, mainly his father, and if he didn't know her any better, he knows that at some point she is going to ask him about why his father was being so quiet.

Calleigh yawned at some point and then chuckled 'I'm sorry, I guess I'm more tired than I thought I was' she said.

Eric looked down at his watch and realized that it was getting quite late 'It's getting quite late actually, maybe we should go' he told her.

'You haven't had dessert yet. I'm sure Calleigh wouldn't mind some chocolate and vanilla ice cream before you leave' Carmen told them.

'Oh you told her?' Calleigh told Eric as she hit him playfully in his lap.

'Ouch...' he said with a chuckle 'She asked, what was I supposed to say?' Eric told her with a laugh.

'Well I guess now that the ice cream is here...I can't leave before I have it' she said and they all laughed as Carmen got up and brought the bowls and spoons as well as the ice cream along.

oooOOOooo

Eric and Calleigh arrived at the motel one after the other, parking their hummers next to each other, locking them as they jumped out, while Eric started walking towards his room.

'Hey wait up' she called out as she hurried to reach up with him.

'You scared?' he teased her.

'I hate motels' she replied 'I still can't understand how you managed to sleep him peacefully' she told him as Eric opened the door to his room 'I don't understand how anyone can manage to sleep in a room like this' she said.

'Well when you don't have a choice, you don't have a choice' he replied.

'But you did...Eric. You could have come to me' she told him 'You know I would have gladly taken you in...any one of us would' she told him.

'Yes well I don't want the others to know what's going on, and I didn't want to get you or Horatio in the middle of this. I thought I already told you that' Eric told her as he grabbed the luggage, placed it on the bed and opened it up so they could start putting everything in it.

'You did' she said 'I'm just worried about you' she whispered and then he watched her smile 'You know what...it was nice spending some time with your parents...I managed to put what is going on behind me for a couple of hours at least. They are really fun to be with' she told him.

'Yeah they are' Eric agreed 'I thought she was going to make you feel uncomfortable but you surprised me. You fit right in' he said and Calleigh stopped folding his shirt and looked at him with a smile, a thought running through her head. She fit right in. It felt so natural to be there. She wondered how it would be if her and Eric were actually together, how his parents would react.

'Yeah...well your mother especially made it very easy. She's really sweet you know...your father on the other hand was quiet' she told him 'Is he usually like that or is it because I was there?' she asked him.

'I knew you noticed. He is a bit on the quiet side, but no he is not usually that quiet. Maybe he realized that something is going on, maybe my mum said something to him' Eric replied.

'Mm could be' she replied and then she heard a noise and Calleigh straightened up and grabbed her gun.

'Relax it's nothing. It's just the sign. When it gets a little bit windy, it starts making a lot of noises' he told her with a chuckle.

'It's not funny' she told him with a glare.

'When CSI Duquesne acts this way it is' he mocked.

'Just shut up and pack so we can get out of here' she told him.

'Yes ma'am' he teased back still chuckling with Calleigh narrowed her eyes at him before throwing the t-shirt she had in her hand at him and Eric burst out laughing.

'Alright alright I'm packing, relax' he told her as he tried to calm his laughter down while he watched Calleigh hurry up with her part of the folding.

The sooner they get out the better.


	3. Chapter 3

**P.S. Apologies for the long wait between chapters, the reason is that I am pregnant and I am being extremely tired, so even though I would love to write and know what to write next, I would be too tired to actually do it. Hopefully, I will be able to post more often in the coming months**

 **Chapter 3:**

Calleigh opened the door to her apartment and gladly walked inside, Eric following behind. After the time she had to spend at the motel in what used to be Eric's room, with all the creepy noises and the weird feeling in the pit of her stomach, Calleigh was just glad to be back at the familiar place she called home. To top it off tonight, she wasn't even alone, and Calleigh as much as she liked her space, really enjoyed Eric's company, and after he was shot at earlier today, Calleigh just felt like she needed to be around him and assure herself that he is alright.

'Oh I see what you mean with the new couch' he told her as he walked straight towards it, leaving his bag next to the main door.

'You like it?' she asked him as she turned around with a smile and walked towards him.

'Yeah I love it. It looks really comfortable' he told her as he sat down on it and jumped a bit on it to test it.

'It opens into a sofa bed' she told him.

'Even better then' he replied with a smile.

'Do you want to open it?' she asked him.

'Well I guess we should. It's getting late anyway' Eric replied, so Eric picked up the coffee table and put it to one side away from the free space in front of the couch and then helped Calleigh open the couch into a bed.

'There you go' she said 'I just need to get you some sheets and two pillows' she told him and Eric smiled.

'What?' she asked 'I know you sleep with two pillows' she told him 'I have one in the cupboard over there on top of a blanket and I can give you one of mine. I don't really sleep with a lot of pillows' she told him 'Let me just go and get the sheets' she said before she turned around and made her way into her bedroom 'If you want coffee you can help yourself' she called out.

'Okay Cal, would you like a cup?' he asked her.

'Of course I do silly' she replied and Eric smiled that boyish smile of his and shook his head. Of course she did, that's why she mentioned it! So Eric made his way into the familiar kitchen and turned on the electric kettle as he poured in some water. He took out her favourite mug and another one he knew she reserved only for him, and started pouring the coffee and sugar in them. It wasn't his first time here obviously, nor was Calleigh a stranger to his old apartment.

She appeared again with the sheets and the pillow in her arms, as she made her way to the couch.

'Do you need any help?' he asked her.

'Only with the coffee' she replied and Eric chuckled 'Fine...I'll take care of the coffee' he told her in surrender.

'You do that' she said as she opened the sheet up and started fitting it in. It only took her a couple of minutes to finish his bed, and by the time she did, Eric finished pouring the hot water in the mugs.

'If you want there are some cookies in the tall cupboard' she told him.

'I'm good...do you want some?' he asked her.

'No I'm fine' she told him as she took a seat round the table, while Eric brought the two mugs and took a seat next to her.

'Hey thanks for letting me stay here tonight. You really didn't have to' he told her.

'I was not going to let you stay in that ugly motel Eric' she told him.

'Well it wouldn't have been wise to go back there again really' he admitted.

'Of course not' she replied 'What would you have done if I didn't offer a roof over your head?' she asked him.

'Find another motel I guess' he replied 'But I really didn't have a plan' he admitted.

There was silence for a couple of minutes and Eric had no idea what she was thinking. All he knew was that he was grateful to have her in his life, and to still have a life really after this morning. But who could have hired a gunman to kill him and why?'

'Eric...can I ask you something?' she asked.

'You're going to ask anyway' he told her with a smile as he sipped his coffee.

'Did you manage to figure out who has put out a hit on you and why?' she asked him.

'Well I know who could have done all this...I might be wrong and I might be right' he told her, and Eric stopped there.

'Would you care to elaborate on that?' she asked and Eric sighed 'Look Eric I just want to know so I can help you and if God forbid something happens to you, we can know from where to start looking' she told him.

'I don't know Cal' he whispered.

'Why do you trust Horatio but not me?' she asked him.

'Now that is not true. I trust you with every fibre of my being and you know that' Eric replied immediately.

'Hey that's my line' she told him as she punched him in his thigh and Eric chuckled softly 'I need you to trust me with this...please Eric' she pleaded.

'But I do trust you Calleigh. I already told you about my fake birth certificate' he told her.

'But you didn't tell me everything. I know that Eric' she told him 'What's fake about your birth certificate? Is it just the place where you were born?' she asked him.

'No...I found out my father...he's not really my father' Eric finally told her.

'You mean the father we just spend the last couple of hours is not your real father? Than who is he?' she asked.

'He's Marisol's father but not my biological one. My biological father's name is Alexander Sharova' Eric finally told her.

'Sharova? Is he Russian?' she asked him.

'Yes' he replied.

'Oh my God...so...is he the one who put out a hit on you or...is he part of something much bigger?' she asked him.

'Horatio thinks he is part of the Russian mob' he admitted and Calleigh gasped 'Aren't you glad you asked?' he asked her sarcastically.

'Of course I'm glad I asked. The more we know the better we can protect you' Calleigh told him.

'I don't need you to protect me Calleigh. I need you to protect yourself and stay out of this' he told her.

'Would you stay out of this if the situation was in reverse? If I was the one in danger...would you stay out of it?' she asked him. She knew that he wouldn't and that was exactly why she asked him that.

'Of course I wouldn't' he replied immediately.

'Then how can you pretend that I stay out of it?' she asked him.

'This is big Calleigh...I don't know exactly what I am dealing with. I just can't take the chance that you end up hurt because of me' Eric told her.

'Can you at least keep me informed?' she asked him.

'I don't know' he whispered.

'Please Eric...I can't be in the dark about all of this' she told him.

'We'll see...' he told her. He couldn't make any promises. He might be in danger, and he might need back-up and having Calleigh safe was more important to him than having back-up. If protecting her was going to take going against her wishes and keeping her in the dark then so be it.

'It's late Cal, and we need to get back to work early in the morning' he told her, meaning end of discussion.

Upset she nodded without saying a word and got up from her chair, pushing it with the back of her knee as Eric followed into the kitchen washing the mugs and leaving them to dry.

'Do you need anything before I go to bed?' she asked him.

'No I'm good thanks Cal' he told her. She nodded and turned around but Eric grabbed her hand and Calleigh turned around to look at him.

'Understand that your safety is more important to me than mine Calleigh. I told you everything I know, I'm not keeping anything from you, but it could get ugly' he told her.

'And I will be right by your side when it does' she told him 'Good night Eric' she told him and with that she turned around and made her way to bed.

oooOOOooo

It was quite early but that was always the time around which Calleigh wakes up. She always made it a point to be at the station between eight and a half to nine in the morning, so at around seven the alarm clock was set to go off, but this morning something else woke her up before. The beautiful aroma coming out of the kitchen told her that Eric was already awake and cooking something. She grabbed her gown, turned off the alarm since it wasn't needed anymore and made her way out into the kitchen.

'Hey, good morning' she greeted him followed with her beautiful smile, and Eric didn't fail to notice how cute her smile was first thing in the morning.

'Heyyy...did I wake you up?' he asked her.

'Emmm...actually whatever you're cooking is' she told him as she made her way towards him. He felt her hand settle briefly on the small of his back, and Eric tried to ignore it, not wanting her to realize that he noticed where her hand had settled.

'It's nothing special really. Just scrambled eggs with toast, baked beans and bacon. A glass of fresh orange juice and your coffee of course' he told her with a smile.

'Mmmm I like this. I could get used to having you around every morning if you wake me up like this' she teased.

'Oh gladly Cal, nothing would make me happier' he told her, as the words slipped out of his mouth, but Calleigh didn't seem to read too much into them. She just grabbed her mug of coffee and sipped.

'Mmm coffee...so good' she mumbled and Eric smiled while he started plating, while Calleigh grabbed the two mugs and placed them on the table and then went for the two glasses of freshly squeezed orange juice. She watched Eric place the plates on the table while she grabbed the cutlery and then sat down next to him, smelling the food.

'Damn you're a good cook' she told him.

'Mm you better taste it before you pass on that judgment...you might change your mind after you do' he told her, so Calleigh grabbed a piece of toast and put some scrambled eggs and baked beans on it and took a bite.

'Mmmm seriously delicious Eric...I'm not kidding' she told him.

'Glad you like it' he replied with a smile.

'So why all this hassle this morning?' she asked him.

'It's no hassle really, I love cooking and besides after giving me a roof over my head, it is the least I can do' he told her.

'And it is the least I can do for you Eric' she told him 'You know that. I never expect anything in return' Calleigh told him.

'I know you don't but a little appreciation never harmed anyone' Eric replied.

'Yes...you always do your best to show me how much you appreciate me' she replied with a smile.

'You deserve that and so much more' he replied.

Discussion seemed to end there as there eyes spoke out the rest. As it often happened, their eyes would lock and they get into this moment of silence until one of them decides to break the silence.

'So emm...what are you going to tell the others if they ask where you're staying now?' she asked him as she took another bite into her toast.

'I'm not sure really' he replied honestly 'You know I don't mind telling them that I'm staying with you if you don't, but I know they are going to start asking questions then' Eric told her.

'Well everyone knows that that lady shot at you yesterday...' Calleigh started telling him 'And I know Ryan is already suspicious about something' she went on.

'Yeah...ever since we found out about his gambling addiction and he got fired, he has been on everyone's case' Eric told her.

'You two have always been at each other's throats' she told him bitterly. She didn't like that. She cared about the two of them, and she often found herself between the two playing as the referee with the two of them accusing her of taking the other party's side.

'Well I can't say that we are at each other's throats as much as we used to be but I can't say that he is my best friend' Eric told her.

'He never did reach that level' she commented.

'I guess not...but it doesn't mean that I don't care about him. I mean he is my colleague and a friend...just not as close as you are or as Speedle was, but after I was shot, I say things got much better' Eric admitted.

'They did...you should have seen him when we interrogated that guy who shot you. I'm telling you, he could have punched the hell out of him if it wasn't for me trying to calm him down and keep him collected, even though I wanted to put a bullet into his head myself' Calleigh told him.

'I guess we'll see but I don't see the point of hiding behind the bushes about where I am living with our friends' Eric told her.

'I guess not' she replied.

'Well unless you don't want to tell them' Eric told her.

'It is fine with me Eric' she assured him and then she realized that they were going to be late so she grabbed the mug of coffee and drank it in before she stood up from her chair 'I'm going to have a quick shower or we are going to be late' she told him.

'Alright I'll wash the dishes in the meantime' he told her.

'Thanks Eric you're a darling' she told him and with that she rushed to the bathroom.

oooOOOooo

Eric stepped out of the elevator just as Ryan was coming out of the DNA lab after getting some results off the necklace Eric and Calleigh found at the primary crime scene just where the witness told them Rev Mike had been shot.

'Hey, so Valera managed to get DNA off that necklace you and Calleigh found in the water' Ryan started telling him.

'Oh really? Great' Eric replied.

'Yeah I'm going for Horatio to pick the guy' Ryan told him.

'Good I'm on my way to find Calleigh about another lead that we have' Eric told him.

Ryan was about to turn the next corner when he stopped 'Hey Eric are you alright?' Ryan asked him concerned, and Eric realized the questions were coming.

'Yeah I'm good Wolfe don't worry' Eric replied as he placed a hand on Ryan's shoulder giving it a little squeeze.

'Did you go back to the motel yesterday?' he asked. Of course. It had to be him to ask the questions! Eric knows that it is because he is concerned and not because he is being nosey, but automatically and instinctively, Eric started getting defensive.

'No I didn't actually. I'm staying with Calleigh for the time being' Eric informed him, knowing it was going to be the next question, and Eric could see Ryan's eyebrows shoot up.

'You're staying with Calleigh? Seriously man?' he asked.

'What's your problem Wolfe?' Eric asked him.

'Someone tried to kill you yesterday, why would you get Calleigh involved?' he asked him.

'Is there a problem here?' Calleigh asked having heard her name being mentioned, knowing immediately this couldn't be good, not with the two of them facing each other like this.

'You took him in? Are you insane Calleigh? Are you trying to get yourself killed as well?' Ryan asked her.

'Ryan...not that it is any of your business, but yes I gave him a roof over his head, just like I would do for anyone of you guys' she told him.

'Calleigh we don't know how ugly the situation is here' Ryan tried to make her understand.

'And I don't care Ryan. This is Eric we are talking about and I don't care how ugly the situation gets. We get into ugly situations all the time at work, and to me it doesn't matter if it is work or our personal life' Calleigh told him.

'Is there a problem here?' they heard Horatio say from behind them and they all turned around to look at him.

'No Horatio we're good' Calleigh told him.

'Yeah...emm...I was on my way to look for you' Wolfe told him 'We got DNA off the necklace Eric and Calleigh found at the crime scene' Ryan told him.

'Good let's go then' Horatio told him. He obviously wasn't fooled. He could feel the tension, the look Eric was giving Ryan, and how furious Calleigh was but now was not the time to get into it.

They walked towards the elevator leaving Calleigh and Eric alone in the corridor staring at them, before Eric shook his head and walked away.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4:**

'Eric...Eric wait up' she called after him as she hurried to catch up with him.

'I knew it. I knew it was going to be him. Why does it always have to be him to ask? And you know what bothers me most? It's the fact that he doesn't care in how much danger I am in' Eric explained.

'I'm sure that is not a fact Eric' Calleigh told him. It was just the way he does things and the way he expresses himself that makes him look like that.

'Please don't defend him Calleigh, not right now' Eric told her.

'I'm not' she replied 'But I want you to calm down. It doesn't matter what he thinks Eric. What matters is what you and I know and that you have a roof over your head and that I have your back. You are not alone in this' she told him.

He didn't say anything, and Calleigh could see that his anger might not be just because of what Ryan told him but because of something else. Earlier when they went to the crime scene where their victim was shot, she found herself staring at him, as thoughts ran through her mind while she watched him give a good look at the neighbourhood. She knew that when their cases involved Latinos, Cubans, Eric always took it a bit harder. She wanted to talk to him about it, but she figured it would be best to do it later at home, when he has calmed down.

oooOOOooo

Ryan was still quiet while Horatio drove to pick up their suspect and he knew it was just a matter of time for Horatio to ask him what happened with Calleigh and Eric earlier.

'You want to fill me in Mr Wolfe?' Horatio asked him.

'On what?' he asked feigning ignorance.

'On what happened with Eric' Horatio replied letting him know that the issue was with Eric and not with Calleigh.

Ryan sighed as he ran a hand through his hair 'He moved in with Calleigh' Ryan informed him.

'And why does that bother you?' Horatio asked him.

'Because he is putting her in danger. He is not putting her safety first' Ryan told him.

'Mr Wolfe...I can assure you that Calleigh's safety is what is always on Eric's mind. They have known each other for years now and they have a connection that you might not understand because you haven't always been around. Have you thought about how Calleigh feels? How she might feel better having him under her roof than wondering if he is safe all the time?' Horatio asked him.

'Oh come on H, it is not like they are a couple. They are just friends' Wolfe told him 'And I know for a fact even though Calleigh denies it, that if I was the one in the kind of danger that Eric is in, she would not take me in. She would help me yes but not take me into her own home like that' Wolfe replied.

'So what? Are you jealous? Is this what it is all about?' Horatio asked him as he parked the hummer and jumped out of it, leaving Wolfe with a hanging question in the air.

oooOOOooo

Eric was staring out of the window at Calleigh's apartment, arms crossed over his chest as he pondered everything that happened during the day, not really looking at anything in particular when he heard her voice from behind him. She was wearing this light blue, stripped material, long like over sized shirt, as her hair hung down flowing over her back. She looked like she had just grabbed one of his shirts and put it on her, and Eric realized he liked that thought, the idea of having Calleigh in one of his shirts. She looked sexy and to make things worse, the shampoo's scent was taking over the entire room, intoxicating his senses so much that if he wasn't so upset right now, he would totally act like a fool, so Eric swallowed hard as he tried to push his thoughts away. This was no time to try and get romantically involved with her.

'Is that my shirt?' he half joked.

'Very funny Delko' she replied as she pushed a strand of blonde hair behind her ear, but she smiled and Eric relaxed a little bit, automatically now that he was in Calleigh's company 'Are you alright?' she asked him softly.

'Yeah...you know, just today's events really' he replied with a shrug.

'You mean your argument with Ryan' she told him.

'Yeah I just...he's always in my business and he was literally telling you in my face that you shouldn't have my back, that you shouldn't be helping me out, and I know that I myself have told you to keep your distance but to hear him say that, making me feel like he really doesn't care about what happens to me...that hurts' Eric told her as he sat down on the sofa bed which was still opened from last night.

Calleigh sighed sympathetically as she sat down next to him, one leg buried under her bum, as she rubbed his back with her right hand 'I don't think that what he said is exactly what he meant...' she started telling 'And don't tell me that I am defending him because I'm not' she told him immediately knowing that was coming 'But I think this really is about me somehow' she told him.

'What do you mean?' Eric asked her.

'I think that...even though I told him that if he was in the same situation that I would have done the exact same thing for him...I think deep down, he knows that I wouldn't' she admitted.

'You wouldn't?' Eric asked her.

Calleigh closed her eyes and then shook her head 'No...I wouldn't. I...wouldn't invite him to stay with me' she admitted.

'You...you wouldn't?' he asked her softly again this time and Calleigh shook her head.

'I wouldn't feel comfortable having him here' she told him.

'Do you feel comfortable having me here?' Eric asked her then.

'Yes...It's as natural as it can be' Calleigh replied.

'Thanks Cal...that means so much to me' Eric told her, knowing how reserved she can be, and yet she was telling him that he was practically the only one she feels that comfortable to have him stay with her.

'I know...' she replied with a smile 'So you can have your little victory dance over Ryan' she teased and Eric just laughed. He really laughed and Calleigh felt so good that she could do that for him.

'Well I haven't seen that smile for a while' she told him 'I'm glad it has shown up because of something I said' she told him.

'You always make me feel better' he whispered and Calleigh just couldn't help but feel warm inside. There was just something about what Eric had just said. She cared about him so much, to know that he does too as much as she does, felt so special.

'You know I love seeing you smile and I hate to ask you this but...is Ryan the only thing that has gotten you upset today or is it something else?' she asked him, and Eric knew that he couldn't fool her. He knew what she was talking about. He felt her eyes on him earlier when they were at the primary crime scene.

'No he's not' he admitted 'I can never fool you can I?' he told her.

'Nope...just like I can never fool you' she replied 'So what is it?' she asked him.

'Why don't you tell me?' he replied 'Let's see if you know me as well as you say you do' Eric told her. He wanted to see if she nailed the issue.

'OK...It's the neighbourhood...It's the neighbourhood where Reverend Mike was shot that got to you, isn't it?' she asked him.

'That is it yes' Eric replied with a sad nod. It was no surprise that she knew. He felt her eyes on him when they were there and he knew that she was assessing him, that she could feel that he was getting upset, and probably that was one of the reasons why he got so pissed off by Ryan's questions and everything he said.

'That is how you grew up? In a neighbourhood like that?' she asked him. Calleigh was always interested about his childhood. She often found herself asking him stuff about when he was young, and even though even Eric was curious about Calleigh's childhood, he knew that it was tough on her to talk about due to her parents' divorce and the atmosphere in her home, Eric always held back, and the little he knows about when she was young, was only because she herself had voluntarily told him about it.

'Yeah...and I know how difficult it is to grow up into a fine man when you live in such a neighbourhood. You're constantly surrounded by crime whether it is drugs, someone being shot or just a normal fight, there is always something going on in those neighbourhoods, and you're always living in fear' Eric explained, and as bad as her childhood was, at least she did grow up in quite a safe environment.

'There are always gangs hanging around, children being bullied...and no one ever talks about what is going on but then again at the same time, the love we had in the family compensated for everything that was happening on the outside' Eric told her.

'Yeah well that is not something I can really relate to. I mean I had safety around the house but I lacked the love inside the house. You know with everything that was always going on between my parents, and my father not around a lot, no siblings to play with and my mum...well my mum never acted like a mum...I'm not sure which one of us grew up in the best environment' she told him.

Looking at the expression on her face now, Eric regretted talking about the subject and this look and the way she was feeling now was precisely why he never brings up her childhood. Without saying anything he just wrapped one arm around her shoulder and Calleigh let herself lean into him resting her head in that spot between the shoulder and the chest, letting him hold her for as long as she could remember.

oooOOOooo

It was the sound of the keys turning in the door that made Calleigh jump out of bed and immediately grab her gun which she always had in the first drawer of her bedside table. All she could think about was that Eric was sleeping in the living room and if someone had somehow made a copy of the key to her main door, they could easily get to him.

She made her way out of the bedroom as slowly and as silently as she could, keeping to the wall as much as possible where an intruder wouldn't be able to see her, and then she heard the keys being placed on the counter and somehow she caught sight of the empty bed in the living room, so she peaked from around the corner and realized that it was only Eric.

'Jesus Christ Eric you scared the shit out of me' she told him as she appeared from around the corner with a gun in her hand.

'What are you doing?' he asked her as he realized she was holding a gun.

'I thought someone managed to come in' she replied.

'With a key?' he asked.

'You never know with these people. You know they would have means to copy a key without needing a physical key to do so' Calleigh told him as she locked the gun and placed it on the counter 'Where were you anyway?' she asked him as she glanced at the clock hanging up in the kitchen above the cabinets. It was still nine in the morning. It was their off day today, so Calleigh didn't need to have any alarms go off to wake her up. She could sleep as much as possible and since she slept last night without setting the alarm, she had easily slept more than she usually does.

'I went to the gym for a morning workout' he replied.

'Without telling me? Are you insane? What if something happened to you?' she asked him sounding upset.

'I'm sorry Calleigh I really didn't think about it' he apologized realizing how upset she was.

'You can't not think about it Eric. That is what they want you to do and that is when they will attack again when you least expect it' she replied and with that she grabbed her gun and stormed back into her bedroom, leaving Eric speechless resting against the kitchen counter.

He heard her slam the door to her bedroom and sighed running a hand through his head. He hadn't thought about the danger that he could be in. He just wanted to go for a morning workout without waking her up. She needed to sleep after last night's discussion. It had exhausted her and maybe even the way she was reacting this morning was due to yesterday's events. She was still upset.

He needed to talk to her but he wasn't sure if she was going to let him in. He walked slowly towards her bedroom and knocked on her door as softly as he could, not wanting to startle her.

'Calleigh...can I come in?' he asked her from behind the door.

It took her a while but then he heard her speak 'Okay', just loud enough that he could hear her.

She was sitting on the edge of the bed, both hands resting on the mattress as her feet hung out of the bed barely touching the floor. He slowly and very carefully sat down next to her, not too close though. He knew that she needed her space. He wasn't sure if he was right, but Eric thought that he could hear her breathing a bit more heavily than normal, like she had been panicking which wasn't a very common trait for Calleigh.

'I'm sorry I scared you' he whispered as he placed his hands on the mattress mimicking her position, but careful not to touch her hand.

She was staring ahead, not daring to look at him at the moment. She felt so angry that he could be so careless about his life. She wasn't angry because she had thought someone had entered her home, but because Eric had put her in that situation by being so careless. What if something happened to him while he was out, then what? What would she do? Where was she going to find him? How was she going to know that he was hurt or...? She shook her head forbidding herself to even think such a thought.

'Calleigh...' he whispered as he watched all kinds of emotions run through her face.

'Calleigh talk to me please' Eric begged her and then she finally turned around to look at him 'Are you angry with me?' he asked her knowing that probably that will get her talking.

'Angry with you? Yes...yes I'm angry with you. I'm angry with you because I care about you so much Eric. What if something happened to you? How would I know? How...would I know where to find you? What happened to you? I am as deep into this as much as you are now, you can't just leave and not tell me, and let me worry about you like this' she told him and he could see her eyes turning red. She was so scared for him she was on the verge of crying, which was definitely something that doesn't happen so often. If Eric was right, he had only seen her cry once or actually noticing the remnants of her tears, and that was when he had been shot.

'I'm sorry Calleigh...I really am' he apologized sincerely as he rubbed her back 'You know what...I'm beginning to think that Ryan was right for once' Eric told her out of nowhere and Calleigh immediately turned to look at him.

'What? Right about what?' she asked him.

'About getting you involved in this. I shouldn't have' Eric replied.

'And what? You think if you weren't living here with me I wouldn't be worried about you? I would be going out of my mind with worry and would probably be bugging you even more to meet up and do things just so you are never alone' Calleigh told him. She shifted slightly on the bed then so she could face him properly 'This isn't your choice whether to get me involved in this or not. I got automatically involved when a hit was put on you. They made the decision for me not you' Calleigh told him.

Eric was literally blown away by what she just said to him. He knew she cared about him a lot but this...this was too much. He just wanted to hug her. Without asking for permission, he just wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into a deep embrace which she returned wholeheartedly. He could feel her melt in his arms and Eric never felt so blessed. He closed his eyes and he could still smell the scent of her shampoo from last night, and he just wanted to stay like this forever. He has known Calleigh for so long, but he never really had the opportunity to hold her like this. She was starting to open up to him, and Eric was just so blessed right now.

He felt her slowly move out of his arms but not too far away. She just stopped in his private space and lifted her gaze. She was staring straight into his eyes and Eric's hand automatically cupped the back of her head, his thumb caressing softly her head, feeling the softness of her blonde locks slide through his fingers. He was watching her blink her eyes quite rapidly and then she swallowed hard as her lips parted and then softly moved out of his private space.

'I emm...I think I'm hungry' she told him.

'Yeah...me too' Eric replied stepping out of the moment 'What do you feel like eating?' he asked her.

'Is there a choice on the menu?' she teased. This is just what he loves about them. Just like that all awkwardness was gone and they were both acting like themselves again.

'Well let's see...pancakes...English breakfast...ham and cheese toast...fruit and yogurt...so what would you like me to prepare for you?' he asked her, but by the end of his sentence, Calleigh was laughing, and Eric relaxed even more.

'What's so funny?' he asked her.

'English breakfast? You just came from the gym, what's the point of going to the gym if you eat a full English breakfast afterwards?' she asked him.

'Oh I am telling you I can eat two full plates of English breakfast, I'm so hungry' he told her.

'Well if you're in the mood for an English breakfast then I am not going to break your heart' she told him.

'Great...' Eric told her with a huge smile on his face and with that he got up from the bed and made his way out of her bedroom and into the kitchen but Calleigh stayed there as she took a deep long breath.

'He's okay...he's okay' she told herself. She knew she might have over reacted earlier about him going out but she was just scared someone was coming after him.

'He's fine...get over it' she scolded herself and with that she got up and made her way into the bathroom.

Not long after, breakfast was being served or rather almost too close to lunch because it was almost eleven by the time they both sat down and they were ready to eat. Calleigh had closed up Eric's sofa bed for the time being so they can use it as a couch during the day. She really had nothing planned for the day. Usually on her day off she would plan to go out and meet some of her friends, but since Eric had been living with her, she really didn't even bother. She wanted to focus on him and be with him. What was the point of having him staying with her if she was gonna leave him alone on his day off?

'So...do you have anything planned for today?' Eric asked her as he picked up his plate and started making his way back into the kitchen.

'Nope...you? Do you have anything planned?' she asked him.

'No...not really' he replied as he turned to look at her 'What do you usually do on your day off?' he asked her.

'Well...' she started saying with a shrug 'Go out, meet with friends for a drink, jog, go for a swim...shop...I think that is pretty much it' she replied with a laugh.

'So why didn't you plan anything for today?' he asked her.

'Cause I wanted to see what you had in mind. I knew you were off as well' she replied honestly.

'Well...I didn't plan anything cause I wanted to see what you wanted to do' he replied and they both laughed at the thoughtful situation.

'I had nothing in mind really' she replied.

'Well is there anything coming to you now? Do you want to go out or do you want to stay in?' he asked.

Calleigh looked over her shoulder to check out the weather through the window in the living room and she could see that the weather wasn't so great. It was cloudy and looked a little bit windy as well, so Calleigh decided it would be best to stay indoors for the day.

'How do you feel about jigsaw puzzles?' she asked him.

'Jigsaw puzzles? Do you want to stay inside and work on one?' he asked her.

'Actually I think I do' she replied 'I have this new jigsaw puzzle which I had bought but never really had the chance to start working on it. You know with the working hours we do...I never get the chance to do it and since the weather isn't so great, I thought we could stay inside and try to do it together' Calleigh told him hopeful.

'Yeah sure that is fine by me...jigsaw puzzle it is then' Eric confirmed.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5:**

Eric and Calleigh made some space in the living room, before Calleigh pulled out the box of jigsaw puzzle which was still wrapped in its original plastic, including the price tag.

'So what do you think?' she asked him as she handed him over the box.

'Oh God what a view' Eric replied staring at the picture on the box. It was a balcony view of the Eiffel Tower at night with a couple of red flowers giving it the right touch, along with a small table and champagne glasses placed in the middle of the round table.

He looked up and could see her eyes literally shining 'You can imagine this, can you?' he asked her.

'Yeah...I would love to go to Paris one day' she replied her eyes beaming as she placed herself in that balcony 'You?' she asked.

'Oh yeah. Paris is beautiful...I would definitely love to go but maybe when I finally have someone in my life' he told her, his eyes locked on hers 'Paris is too romantic to go on your own' he stated.

'You're right' she nodded, dragging her eyes away from his, after sharing a moment for a couple of seconds where the world seemed to have stopped and it was just the two of them. She could feel his eyes pouring into her soul, like she always did lately whenever he looked at her in that way. Maybe it was all in her head, and maybe not. All she knew is that ever since he had been shot, she had suddenly become too aware of Eric and being there for him during his healing process, brought them closer to each other, which she loved, but wasn't sure what this all meant, and truth be told she didn't want to think about it either. The last thing she wanted was to get disappointed or ruin her friendship with Eric. Although at the same time, she knew that Eric had some sort of feelings for her after what she had read in his personal file when the daughter of the shrink he was seeing was killed. He stated very clearly that he wanted a future with her, and yet, he hasn't made a move since then.

Realizing that Calleigh had suddenly drifted somewhere far away, he dragged his eyes off her, sensing that he was making her uncomfortable, he cleared his throat and adjusted his position.

'So do you have a particular technique on how to tackle jigsaw puzzles?' he asked her.

Snapping out of her thoughts, Calleigh smiled at him as she went down on her knees in front of him 'Well I usually start with selecting the pieces which form the frame of it and try to put them together first and then continue with the rest' she replied.

'Sounds good' Eric told her as he opened the box and poured the pieces on the floor.

They started turning the pieces to face upwards and putting to side the ones that make part of the frame and when all the pieces were scattered next to each other facing up, they started working on putting the frame together. They were quiet, focused on the pieces in front of them. Eric noticed that she was very good in putting puzzles together and couldn't help but chuckle.

'What's so funny?' she asked him as she looked up at him.

'You're too cute putting puzzles together. Are you sure you haven't done any lately?' he asked her half joking.

'Oh I'm sure. I can't remember the last one I did. It was probably before I joined the force' she replied.

'You know what? We should frame this puzzle when it is finished' Eric told her.

'Oh that is a great idea. That way we can look forward to the day we manage to finally make it to Paris' she told him.

'Oh that is a day I really can't wait for. You know, we work every single day practically, and every once in a while we have a day off, we really do not enjoy life. All we do is work. Going to Paris...it is something that I have wanted to do for a very long time, but I just don't see that happening unfortunately, not with the kind of job we have' Calleigh told him.

'I know...but we do have vacation leave you know' Eric pointed out.

'I know, but when have we ever made really good use of it?' she asked him 'I mean I know you love going to Puerto Rico, but when was the last time you actually went there for a long time?' she asked 'And Puerto Rico is not as far away as Paris is' she told him.

'I know what you mean, but maybe we should really think about it and plan it' he told her.

Calleigh didn't say anything. He said earlier that he wanted to go with someone that would be clearly his partner, and even though he wasn't asking her anything, she could read between the lines. He wanted to go to Paris with her, and deep down, she knew she would love to go to Paris with him too.

Couple of hours passed with both of them trying to put the pieces together, hardly saying a word, when Calleigh broke the silence.

'Do you want some wine?' she asked him.

'Wine?' he chuckled.

'Yeah, are you up for it? It's not like we are going anywhere, not with this kind of weather and with all the puzzles we have laid out here' she told him.

'Yeah you're right. I would love some wine' he replied.

Calleigh smiled and got up to make her way into the kitchen, with Eric right on her tail. She grabbed a bottle and handed it over to Eric so she could take out the glasses. She watched him pour the red liquid in the glasses while she opened the refrigerator.

'What are you doing?' he asked.

'I'm a mood' she replied with a chuckle 'Doing this Paris puzzle and staring at the picture on the box made me think of the wine, cheese, grapes and some parma ham, which I happen to have' she told him 'So I thought I could take some out and we could share while we do the puzzle' she told him.

'Oh that sounds great. I love parma ham and it has been a while since I had some' he replied.

'Mm then this is your lucky day' she replied with that gorgeous smile of hers. She grabbed the plate of nibbles while Eric grabbed the two glasses and the two of them made it back to the puzzle.

'So to what shall we toast?' she asked him.

'How about...to us? To our friendship' Eric told her as he raised his glass.

'To us...to our friendship' Calleigh repeated as she clinked the glass with Eric's before they sipped the wine, his eyes focused on her.

oooOOOooo

It was getting late and the puzzle was almost ready while the weather was still in a mood, rain still pouring down, wind blowing like crazy as thunder lights became more evident as the grey clouds gave no chance for the moonlight to shine down on Miami that night. It was like a crazy Winter day and Calleigh was just glad that she didn't have to go out today. On days like these she always preferred staying at home and enjoy the comforts of it. The days weren't too after though due to the workload and the level of criminality in Miami. It seems like it was too much to ask to get a quiet day in the office to take care of the backlog of cases and evidence they had to go through.

'There it is' Eric said 'It's done' he told her proudly.

'Oh God that is too beautiful...just like the cover of the box' Calleigh told him as she poured another glass of wine for her from the second bottle they opened. On normal working days she wouldn't dare have any wine but today she was off and in good company and going nowhere so Calleigh thought no harm was gonna come out of having a couple of wine glasses.

'How are you not drunk yet?' Eric asked her with a chuckle.

'Oh look who's talking. As if you haven't been drinking with me' she replied.

'That I have' Eric replied, as he leaned over, his hand resting next to her thighs, her faces a little too close as he grabbed the bottle and slowly moved away to fill his own glass 'We should do this more often' he told her.

'What? Drinking two bottles of wine or the jigsaw puzzles?' she asked him.

'Both...including hanging out like this' Eric continued 'I like this' he told her.

'Yeah...I really enjoyed myself today...thanks Eric' she told him.

'You're welcome...so what do you think? Wouldn't this look amazing in a frame?' he asked her.

'Oh yeah...we should try to go and buy a frame for it tomorrow. I really don't want to loose any pieces' she told him.

'We can definitely do that' Eric nodded 'And I think we should take a photo of us with this puzzle to remind us of this fantastic day' Eric told her.

Calleigh laughed 'OK Delko...how do you want to take the photo?' she asked him.

'Lie down on the floor next to it and I'll lie on the other side and let me take the photo' he told her.

Calleigh laughed but did as he suggested as she lied down with her hair pulled to one side, her face next to the puzzle while Eric lied on the other side, wine glasses in view. He reached his hand out above him and when he made sure that all pieces of this beautiful puzzle where in the picture with their faces and the wine glasses joining in, he took the picture.

'Let's take another one' he told her 'Come sit on my lap and grab the cover of the box' he told her, so Calleigh got up, grabbing the cover in her hand and settled on his lap, one arm going behind his neck to balance herself, as she rested her face against his, a huge smile filling her face as she showed off the cover of the jigsaw puzzle. He knew that all this was thanks to the wine but at the moment Eric was so grateful he couldn't care less what the reason was. She was sitting on his lap with her arm wrapped around his neck, her cheek resting against his, what more could he ask for?

He took the photo and then proceeded to show Calleigh the two photos they took 'Oh I love them' she told him happily as she stretched out to grab the glass of wine, and Calleigh almost lost her balance and knocked the glass over, but Eric managed to hold onto her just in time, and as she turned around to face him, she realized that she was standing way too close to him, their faces mere inches away.

He watched her swallow hard as his heart picked up its pace. He could feel his heartbeat increasing, sweat ready to burst out. He had dreamed of holding Calleigh like this, of being with her like this, but he wasn't sure if she wanted this, if she saw him in this way. He wanted to kiss her, his body was already leaning forward, his hand was caressing her back, his fingertips touching the ends of her blonde hair, while her eyes kept staring at his lips. His eyes started blinking heavily as all sense of reason started to leave him. His free hand slowly cupped her face, his thumb caressing her cheek and then he felt her lean into him, and Eric just couldn't resist any longer. He closed the little distance remaining and locked his lips with hers.

The minute their lips locked, Eric took a deep long breath as he felt her part her lips, inviting him in. He really couldn't believe she was doing this, and if it wasn't for all the wine they had, probably she wouldn't have kissed him, and probably Eric would have asked her twice if she was sure she wanted this, but with all the alcohol in their systems, they just couldn't rationalize what they were doing. All thoughts of what would happen to their friendship were lost and gone, as Eric deepened the kiss and Calleigh whimpered at the feeling, when the sound of something from outside, somehow made it through the closed window and rang the alarm in her head, immediately making her open her eyes to realize that she was kissing Eric. Eric her best friend.

She wanted to jump away but she couldn't do that, all sense of reason suddenly coming to her in a flash. It would break his heart, so she cupped his face with one hand and slowly ended the kiss.

'Eric...what are we doing?' she asked him, resting her forehead against his.

The sound of her voice, brought him back to reality, immediately realizing that she had no idea what she was doing. That it was all the wine.

'Oh God Cal, I'm sorry, I...I had no idea...' Eric started telling her but he stammered on the words, slowly pushing her off him. He needed some space now, he needed to breathe.

Calleigh got off him and slowly they both got up from the floor. She watched him pace, running his hand through his head.

'Hey relax...it's fine' she told him.

Truth be told she needed some space herself. She needed space to breathe and if she wasn't sure that she would make him feel really bad to just walk out and let the fresh air and the rain wash all the thoughts that were racing through her mind right now away, she would have already made her way out...but she couldn't. The last thing she wanted to do, was to leave him alone.

'I'm sorry Cal...I really...' Eric started telling her but Calleigh cut him off.

'Hey...I was there too...It's probably all the wine we drank...no big deal' she told him and then silence fell for a couple of minutes until she decided to leave the room.

'I'm gonna go and have a shower' she told him.

'OK' he replied with a nod.

She smiled at him and then turned on her way. She turned the water on so the water would settle on the right temperature for her, and then walked out to grab her nightwear and underwear and marched back into the bathroom, closing the door behind her. Stripping out of her clothes, as the sound of the water fell in the shower, images of her and Eric kissing flooded her mind. She really needed to step under the water. Opening the glass door of the shower, she stepped inside and felt the water splash on her. Her eyes shut, she let the water run down her body, but all the water that was splashing down on her, wouldn't stop the images nor the feeling of having his lips on hers or his hand on her face.

'Stop this' she scolded herself 'This is not why I invited him to stay with me' she told herself.

Meanwhile Eric was going crazy in the living room. His mind kept playing that moment of having her on his lap, her eyes staring down at his lips, and then her and him kissing passionately, as the kiss deepened. God how he wished she was still in his arms. This sudden ache of tasting her, was worse than never tasting her at all. Before this moment, he just imagined what it would feel like to kiss her, to hold her in his arms like this, and it always felt great, but now...now he knew what it feels like, and this ache just grew deeper. He wanted to explore more of her mouth, her whole body, and the water running in the bathroom, was making the situation worse, knowing that she was standing naked not too far away from him.

He really needed to get out and go for a jog, but after this morning's events, and the way the rain was pouring outside, he knew he couldn't. She would be too upset with him, and he couldn't blame her. If she was in the situation he was in, he would want to protect her all the time, he would want to have her in his sight all the time, so he could understand her worries.

His hand reached out to the phone as he flipped into the gallery. His eyes stared down at the photo in front of him, and Eric couldn't help but smile. These two photos felt so precious to him. They were so beautiful, he just wanted to keep on staring at them. He needed to do something, he needed to do some damage control. All of a sudden, all signs of alcohol in his head were gone. He was so worried about their friendship, and how she was going to react now after her shower, that he just couldn't think about anything else.

Lost in his thoughts, he didn't even realize that she was standing behind him. It was a good thing he wasn't still staring at the photos or she would think that he was obsessing about it.

'Hey' she whispered and Eric almost jumped in his skin as he turned to look at her.

'Hey' he whispered back softly.

She smiled softly at him and Eric relaxed a little bit and just as he was about to say her name, she said his, and both of them stopped before they burst out laughing.

'You go first' she told him.

'No you go first' he told her, but just as she was about to speak the lights went out 'What happened?' he asked automatically as if he didn't know.

'The lights went out' she replied.

'Now what?' he asked. It might not be the first time to be in her house, but it was her house not his and he couldn't roam around freely, at least that is how he felt, nor did he know the place by heart...at least not yet he didn't.

'Don't worry Eric, I have candles in place everywhere' she replied with a smile.

'Really?' he asked surprised.

'What you haven't noticed them?' she asked surprised. She would have thought he would have took note of everything she had, knowing what an eye for detail he had.

'Not really no' he replied.

He watched her move away slowly and heard her open a drawer and just seconds after the first candle was lit, and then the seconds and without saying anything she kept on walking from one room to another, lighting all the candles she had in place, and when she finally reappeared coming out of the bedroom, all Eric could see was this beautiful blonde walking towards him in the candle light. She could see the expression he had on, but really didn't want to think about it. She didn't want to start to make a big deal out of everything now. She had been burnt way too many times by men before, and even though this is Eric, he is still a man, a very important man in her life, her best friend and she didn't want to loose him.

'So are you telling me you have candles everywhere?' he asked her.

'Yep...in every room, including the bathroom' she told him with a smile.

'Oh I am going to enjoy my shower then' he laughed and Calleigh couldn't help but laugh along with him 'Which I better go and get over with' he told her.

'Yeah' she whispered. Eric was about to make his way to the bathroom when Calleigh stopped him 'Hey emmm...I was thinking...maybe we should move the couch in my bedroom' she told him out of nowhere, surprising him, especially after the kiss they shared.

'What? Why?' he asked her.

'After what happened this morning, I realized that if anyone had to get into my apartment, you are going to be the first person they see...not exactly safe. In my bedroom at least there is the two of us, and we might get a chance to get armed' she told him.

'Calleigh I don't want to invade your privacy more than I already am' Eric told her.

'Eric you're not invading my privacy and even if you were, the most important thing for me right now is your safety' she told him 'Besides, you can't open the couch into a bed with the puzzle on the floor' she pointed out.

Eric looked at the puzzle on the floor and then back at her 'Yeah you're right' he replied 'Well I guess if it is alright with you' Eric started telling her.

'It is really' she replied with a smile.

'OK then' he agreed 'Shall we push the couch in now? It is getting late anyway' he told her.

Calleigh agreed and not long after the couch was resting against the foot of the bed, opened in a bed. Calleigh assured him that he could go and have a shower while she made the bed for him and that it was no hassle at all for her, but as soon as she heard the water running, flashes of their kiss flooded her, just like when she was having a shower. What was it with her and these flashes at the sound of water running? It was a stupid question because she already knew the answer. She wanted to have him in her shower, and as much as she wanted to deny it, she simply couldn't not when she was standing outside the door. If it was any other woman, she would have easily walked into the shower with him and have her wicked way with him.

'Damn it Calleigh stop this' she scolded herself.

She tried to focus on getting his bed ready and when she finally managed, she made her way out into the kitchen to get some water for both of them. They needed something fresh and healthy after all that wine, and yet, after that kiss, it was like all signs of alcohol were long gone.

She stepped into her bedroom to find Eric in just his pants, with no tank top on. Her eyes couldn't help but feast on his abs, and Eric realized that he was starting to have an effect on her, that that kiss they shared had an effect on her.

'Here you go' she told him.

'Thanks' he replied.

'I hope the weather calms down by tomorrow' she told him.

'Yeah we would probably have a long day after one day out of the lab' he told her.

A yawn escaped her then and Eric almost laughed 'Speaking of which, we better get some rest or tomorrow we'll walk in like zombies' she told him.

'Shall I go and blow out the candles?' he asked as he took the empty glass from her hand.

'Yeah thanks' she replied.

'No problem' Eric replied and with that he made his way into the kitchen, washed the two glasses and proceeded with blowing out the candles one by one, including the ones in the bathroom and the bedroom, leaving just the one on her bedside table.

'Good night Calleigh' he told her as he got into his bed.

'Good night Eric' she replied and with that she blew out her candle and it was dark once again.

oooOOOooo

Calleigh closed the door to her locker and turned to look at Eric who was waiting for her. She woke up in a good mood this morning. They had thought that after all that wine they drank yesterday, they would have a hangover today, but somehow they were good. They had managed to get out of the house early enough to go and buy a frame for the jigsaw puzzle that was still lying on the floor in the middle of the living room and then they made their way to the lab.

'I am going to go and put our lunches in the refrigerator' Calleigh started telling him 'Are you coming?' she asked.

'Yeah. I can definitely use another cup of coffee' he told her and Calleigh couldn't help but laugh.

'Yeah me too' she replied.

They made their way upstairs and not long after, while they were waiting for the coffee to cool down just a bit, Ryan made his way inside and Eric immediately tensed. He really didn't want to start the day with a fight.

'Hi guys' he said.

'Hey, good morning' Calleigh told him but Eric didn't say anything.

'Listen...about yesterday...I just wanted to apologize' Ryan started telling them and Eric raised his eyebrows 'It is none of my business who you take into your house, and I think you're a very strong woman and care a lot about Eric not to think twice about this' Ryan told her and then he turned to look at Eric 'I'm sorry if I came across like I don't care what happens to you. It is not a fact cause I do, and if I can help you in any way...just let me know okay?' Ryan told him.

'Thanks Wolfe' Eric told him, but Ryan could tell that he wasn't that sold on his apology. With that, Ryan made his way out of the kitchen leaving Eric and Calleigh alone again.

'What?' she asked him 'You don't believe him?' she asked.

'It's just that...it is a complete one eighty from the way he reacted yesterday' Eric explained.

'Maybe he slept on it and realized that he had no right to react that way yesterday. It is our business how we handle this anyway' she told him.

'I don't know...' he replied shaking his head.

'But you must be thinking something, anything, to keep you unconvinced' Calleigh told him.

'Okay...yeah...I think he's jealous' Eric finally blurted out.

'Jealous? Of who?' she asked.

'Me' he replied.

'Why would he be jealous of you? For Christ sake Eric, there is a hit on you, why would anyone be jealous?' she asked him.

'Oh he's not jealous because of that' Eric replied 'I think he's into you' Eric admitted.

'What? That is insane' Calleigh told him with a chuckle.

'Mmm...I don't think so' Eric replied 'He likes you. Have you forgotten how much he fought me for your attention when he came on board?' Eric asked her.

'You mean in the time when it was impossible to have you both in the same room without trying to kill each other and I had to play the referee all the bloody time? No...no it can't be what you're saying. He likes Natalia' Calleigh told him.

'Maybe...maybe he likes her and the fact that Natalia and I were together for a short period of time, bothers him, but he has a thing for you too' Eric told her.

'I don't think so. I think you're being ridiculous' Calleigh told him 'He might...be jealous of the kind of friendship you and I have, but not jealous because he wants to be romantically involved' Calleigh told him.

'I don't know...really' Eric told her.

'Well I do. You're ridiculous' she told him with a laugh before she drank her coffee and got up. Just as Eric was finishing his coffee her phone rang.

'Horatio hi, what is it?' she asked him while Eric watched and tried to listen knowing it must be the case of the day 'OK. I'm with Eric we're coming down' Calleigh told him.

'What is?' he asked her.

'Some guy was spotted walking in the middle of the streets covered in blood. We need to try and figure out what happened and who's blood he has on' Calleigh explained as they started making their way out of the kitchen.

'What you mean, it's not his blood?' he asked her.

'Apparently not' she replied.

oooOOOooo

Calleigh made her way into the room where the guy who the officers found covered in blood was waiting. She started taking photos of the guy in the bloodied clothes, took hair samples and his DNA and then checked out the evidence he had under his finger nails, and after all that she started packing his clothes including his shoes when Eric made his way in.

'I ran his prints. There are no hits on Aphis and his DNA is a bust too' Eric told her.

'His tox came back negative as well' she replied as she packed his shoes 'So he is not on anything' she told him.

'Maybe he's telling the truth. Maybe he really can't remember anything' Eric told her.

'I don't know. If you ask me, amnesia is a pretty convenient lie' Calleigh told him.

'So you think he's faking' Eric replied more as a statement as he turned to look at the guy who couldn't even remember his own name.

'It's for the department's psychologist to decide' she replied as she sealed the bag his shoes are in 'Till then, all we have to go on is on what's on his body. The blood on his clothes is still damp which means he couldn't have wondered far from the source' she told him.

'But there is no blood trail on the scene and everyone who saw him has conflicting stories about what they saw or where he came from' Eric replied.

'I think we ought to get every lab tech available we've got on this because there may be an injured person out there waiting to be found' Calleigh told him.

'Yeah' Eric whispered as he made his way back out.

oooOOOooo

Eric arrived at the crime scene with Horatio after going through anything that the suspect could possibly remember. Not long after officers, Tara and Ryan were on the scene examining the body and closing the area and looking for any other evidence that might help them figure out what actually happened, who actually killed the family.

It wasn't long after that Calleigh arrived on the scene, only to find Eric and Ryan arguing for a change. She couldn't here them, but she could tell from the tension in Eric's shoulder.

'What's going on with you two?' Calleigh asked him as Eric approached her.

'Wolfe's always jumping to conclusions' Eric replied.

'You think maybe you're taking it personally?' she asked him knowing how much this case got to him. It was just the fact that the suspect was suffering with amnesia or so he claimed which got to Eric.

'No...Look I've been there. I can see it. All Doug wants is to remember' Eric told her.

Calleigh nodded 'I can understand how you can empathise with Doug, doesn't necessarily mean he is innocent' she told him with a shrug as she kept her voice soft.

'I...I can't explain it. I just don't think he killed those people' Eric told her.

'Tell you what, I called in a favour with the Feds. They have a facility for studying memory loss, I was gonna take that. You wanna come with me?' Calleigh asked him.

'Yeah if it's gonna help us find out what Doug remembers, yeah' Eric replied with a determined nod.

oooOOOooo

'I killed three people...I stabbed them to death. Mother, father and daughter' Doug told one of the other suspects in the cell with him.

'So when exactly did you get your memory back?' Calleigh asked him when Doug finally turned around to find her standing behind him.

'I didn't' he replied.

'I just heard you tell that man your name' she replied.

'One of your officers Delko...said he found my wallet. Had my picture, my name' Doug replied.

'I also heard you admit to killing the family' Calleigh replied as she crossed her arms in front of her chest as she waited for the suspect to get out of this one.

'What does that prove? Everyone here says I did it' Doug replied.

'What else do you remember?' she asked him.

'I remember that you thought I was guilty from the start, but your friend Delko he doesn't. He's gonna get me out of here' Doug told her.

'And how do you know he doesn't think you're guilty?' Calleigh asked him.

'He told me he had amnesia. He empahtises with me. He knows what it is like to be someone who can't remember what happened to him' Doug told her.

Fuming inside, Calleigh made her way out of the cell and went to find Eric. He was in the evidence room, going through some of the evidence they had, maybe they had missed something.

'Hey' he greeted her as he watched Calleigh close the door behind her.

'You told Doug...you had amnesia?' she asked him crossing her arms again.

'Yeah' Eric nodded as he turned his attention back to the evidence in his hands.

'Why? He is using that against us. And you told him who he is? How are we supposed to know what he remembers and what he doesn't?' Calleigh asked him.

'I just thought I could help him by telling him what his name is at least' Eric replied getting a little bit pissed that she was going up against him.

'He thinks you're going to get him out of this. Do you know what he told me? He told me that you don't think he is guilty and that you're gonna get him out of this' Calleigh told him and Eric snorted ' Look Eric...I know how you must be feeling okay...but you can't make this personal. Sometimes you have the best intentions but people like Doug can use them against you and then it backfires on you' Calleigh told him and with that she turned around and walked out of the evidence room.

oooOOOooo

'We're waiting for Tripp?' Eric asked Calleigh as they sat on one of the pavement were Doug had been seen walking covered in blood.

'We are' she replied 'You doin' okay?' she asked him. They had just found out that a witness had seen Doug killing Mitch, and she knew how Eric thought that Doug didn't do it, so knowing Eric, she knew he must not be taking this well, seeing how personally attached he had become to this case.

'No...not really' Eric replied 'I just found out that Doug is all alone. He doesn't have a wife...a family...' Eric started telling her.

'You know you're not Doug right?' she asked him.

Eric half smiled 'I know' he replied with a nod.

'Okay' she replied as she turned to look the other way pushing a strand of hair from her face.

'Your friendship means a lot to me Calleigh' Eric told her out of the blues, getting back her attention.

'I didn't know you felt that way' Calleigh replied with a smile. It made her so happy to hear him say that. She knew that they were important to each other, but hearing Eric actually tell her that, it meant so much to her...especially after what happened last night, even if she hadn't brought up the subject.

'Come on' Eric laughed 'I mean I know that you read my file' Eric told her.

Slightly embarrassed of being caught she turned her head away from him before she turned to look back at him and reply to his statement 'That was an unrelated case. It is important to me to respect your privacy' Calleigh told him and then this moment of silence fell, as Calleigh kept staring at him, while Eric contemplated coming clean about his feelings, when Tripp's voice from behind him, broke the moment.

'Who's organizing this picnic?' he asked them and just like that they had to get back to work, and their personal issues had to be dealt with some other time.

oooOOOooo

The elevator opened and as Eric stepped out of it, he saw Calleigh waiting for him.

'Hey I was waiting for you. This is the file Horatio wanted me to give you' she told him with a smile.

'Emm thanks' he replied as he took the file from her hands. She stayed there, like she was waiting for something and Eric sensed that 'About what happened earlier...I didn't mean to put you on the spot' he told her.

'Forget it' she replied with a smile and a roll of her eyes.

'What if I don't want to?' he asked her.

Calleigh took a deep breath ' Eric I am so confused. What do you want? You are gonna have to tell me because until I actually hear you say the words, I don't even know if you believe it yourself. Do you know what I'm saying?' she asked him and with that she turned around and left, leaving him standing there. She needed to protect her heart.

'Yeah I do' he whispered before he left the spot walking back into the elevator.


End file.
